ARROCHAR racer Iain Shonny Paterson enjoyed a triumphant day at the Scottish Motor Racing Club’s final meeting of the year at Knockhill on Sunday.

Improvements made to his Triumph TR8 since the penultimate race meeting of the season – including a heated screen and improvements to the brakes – paid off in style as Paterson surged to a double victory in the Scottish Classic Sports and Saloons championship.

Yet it could all have been so different after a wet qualifying session in which Paterson spun the car on his first lap and was unable to properly bed in his new brakes until lap five, leaving him with just two laps to set a competitive time.

That, though, was just enough time to see him earn third place on the grid, only half a second off pole position.

But race one presented another challenge after Paterson dropped to fifth when the lights went out, the Triumph suffering wheelspin off the line and leaving him with a tough job to get back up the field.

The Triumph, though, was back up to third place on the second lap, and on lap three Paterson outbraked the Porsche 911 of Adam Bernard to take second place.

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Setting off in pursuit of leader John Kinmond, Paterson passed the Rover Vitesse coming out of the hairpin on lap six and held it off to finish 1.5 seconds ahead when the chequered flag waved at the end of a race extended from 12 laps to 15 after the safety car was deployed for recovery of several cars that found the conditions too tricky to handle.

Paterson started on pole for race two, but was again outgunned at the start as Kinmond’s Rover surged into the lead.

The positions were reversed on lap five, and Paterson, with his car now handling beautifully, opened up a gap of three seconds at the finish.

“This was by far my best race,” Paterson, who returned to racing in 2019 after five years away from motorsport, said afterwards, “as I could feel everything the car was doing and it was very predictable.

“I love driving in damp and wet conditions where it is all about car control rather than who has the most horse power.

“In my early days of racing at Knockhill I used to see [veteran Helensburgh racer and multiple circuit-racing and rally champion] Olly Ross demonstrate this time and again in his Lotus Europa.”

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Paterson thanked all those involved in preparing the car for the meeting and dedicated his double win to his wife Fi.

“She has supported me unconditionally,” he said. “She has been the bedrock of the family, helping look after my mother, running the family home, home schooling our lovely son and daughter during the Covid crisis, and helping many in our community of Arrochar and Tarbet.

“She is the loveliest human being you could meet.

“I also have to pay tribute to Roy and Jamie Smith for the work they have done on my car, which has improved it considerably, and my friend Andrew Campbell – aka ‘Popeye’ – for his helpful advice. I think he has high-octane fuel in his veins such is his enthusiasm!

“My thanks also to Seoras Nelson who is a good friend to my son Coll and came along and helped on race day.

“I am looking forward to next season and the car is going to have work done on it over the winter, ready for the season starting in April all being well.”